Childrens' toys of the type which use sorting and matching of various geometrically shaped elements to teach young children geometric and spacial relationships have been extremely popular through the years. The matching process usually requires that the child correctly match a geometric object such as a block or the like with the appropriately shaped aperture within the toy housing which then permits insertion of the toy object into the housing. This activity is extremely beneficial to young children and provides early education in spacial and geometric relationships. However, it has been found that young children are not likely to participate in this beneficial activity unless amused and otherwise rewarded for their effort and success.
Faced with this challenge, practitioners in the art have endeavored to provide a variety of stimulating and amusing sorting and matching types toys through the years. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,455,781 issued to Blumenthal sets forth a SORTING TOP having a spinable hollow body with entry ports for receiving objects having prescribed configurations. The sorting top further includes a base which is releasible by a spin generating mechanism to allow objects entered into selected entry points to be released from the interior of the spinning body.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,717 issued to Seijiro sets forth a PUZZLE BOX having a plurality of holes formed in the sides thereof. In the intended play pattern, players attempt to insert the various corresponding shaped blocks into the box interior through the geometrically shaped holes in the facets of the box.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,195,421 issued to Tucker, et al. sets forth a SHAPE MATCHING DEVICE having a supporting frame and a generally conical container rotatably supported thereon. The container defines a plurality of input apertures shaped and dimensioned to allow insertion into the container of a block or group of associated blocks. The interior surface of the container includes a plurality of curved longitudinal ribs which urge the blocks within the conical container's interior outwardly as the container is rotated.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,051 issued to Nowak, et al. sets forth a PICTURE PUZZLE OF MULTIPLE PANELS WITH PROGRESSIVE DIFFICULTY having several discrete puzzle panels progressively rendered more difficult and each including segments of a picture. Each panel includes at least one cavity and a corresponding size and shape sorting puzzle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,637 issued to Ferguson sets forth a TOY VEHICLE HAVING ROTATING ELEMENT in which a toy vehicle defines a concave recess which receives a generally cylindrical drum. The cylindrical drum is operatively coupled to the vehicle wheels and rotates as the vehicle moves. The cylindrical sidewall surface of the drum defines a plurality of geometrically shaped apertures which receive correspondingly shaped block-like objects in a sorting or matching process.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,356 issued to Gilden, et al. sets forth a REARRANGEABLE FORM BOARD WITH SENSORY FEEDBACK in which a gameboard housing supports a plurality of geometrically shaped apertures which receive correspondingly shaped play objects. A plurality of switch mechanisms are positioned proximate the apertures to provide closure of the switch mechanism as the correct block-like object is inserted which in turn activates a sound and action producing toy figure to provide positive reinforcement to the child user.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,512 issued to Girsch, et al. sets forth a SHAPE-MATCHING TOY APPARATUS WITH SAFETY HINGE having a first plate defining a plurality of differently shaped apertures therein. A plurality of block elements of corresponding shapes are receivable within the apertures. A second plate engages the block elements to push them through the apertures and is hingedly attached to the first plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,511 issued to Matsumoto sets forth an EDUCATIONAL DEVICE having a housing provided with a plurality of openings of different configurations and correspondingly shaped blocks. The housing is provided with means for closure of the apertures following a predetermined time interval signalling the end of a player's turn.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,084,478 issued to Burger sets forth a POPPING BALL TOP having a frusto-conical housing within which a plurality of spherical objects are captivated. A spinning mechanism operates to spin a plurality of angularly disposed rotatable paddles near the base of the frusto-conical housing. The rotating paddles impact the spherical objects and bounce them about within the housing interior.
A game of skilled distributed by Reed Toys, Inc. West Conshohocken, Pa. sets forth a skill game having a rectangular housing defining a plurality of geometric shape receptacles and having a timer mechanism supported in proximity thereto. A plurality of geometrically shaped tokens corresponding to the shaped recesses are provided with the game object being the accurate placement of the geometric objects within their respective recesses in the fastest time or a specific time allotment.
While the foregoing described sorting and shape-matching toys have proven beneficial and educational to varying degrees of success, there remains nonetheless a continuing need in the art for evermore interesting and amusing sorting and matching-type toys which present sufficient amusement value to stimulate young children to participate.